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Canè C, Casciaro B, Di Somma A, Loffredo MR, Puglisi E, Battaglia G, Mellini M, Cappiello F, Rampioni G, Leoni L, Amoresano A, Duilio A, Mangoni ML. The antimicrobial peptide Esc(1-21)-1c increases susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to conventional antibiotics by decreasing the expression of the MexAB-OprM efflux pump. Front Chem 2023; 11:1271153. [PMID: 37942400 PMCID: PMC10628714 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1271153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The increase in bacterial strains resistant to conventional antibiotics is an alarming problem for human health and could lead to pandemics in the future. Among bacterial pathogens responsible for a large variety of severe infections there is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new molecules with antimicrobial activity or that can act as adjuvants of antibiotics already in use. In this scenario, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold great promise. Recently, we characterized a frog-skin AMP derived from esculentin-1a, namely Esc(1-21)-1c, endowed with antipseudomonal activity without being cytotoxic to human cells. Methods: The combinatorial effect of the peptide and antibiotics was investigated through the checkerboard assay, differential proteomic and transcriptional analysis. Results: Here, we found that Esc(1-21)-1c can synergistically inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa cells with three different antibiotics, including tetracycline. We therefore investigated the underlying mechanism implemented by the peptide using a differential proteomic approach. The data revealed a significant decrease in the production of three proteins belonging to the MexAB-OprM efflux pump upon treatment with sub-inhibitory concentration of Esc(1-21)-1c. Down-regulation of these proteins was confirmed by transcriptional analysis and direct measurement of their relative levels in bacterial cells by tandem mass spectrometry analysis in multiple reaction monitoring scan mode. Conclusion: These evidences suggest that treatment with Esc(1-21)-1c in combination with antibiotics would increase the intracellular drug content making bacteria more susceptible to the antibiotic. Overall, these results highlight the importance of characterizing new molecules able to synergize with conventional antibiotics, paving the way for the development of alternative therapeutic strategies based on AMP/antibiotic formulations to counteract the emergence of resistant bacterial strains and increase the use of "old" antibiotics in medical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Canè
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Bruno Casciaro
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Di Somma
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Loffredo
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Puglisi
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gennaro Battaglia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Marta Mellini
- Department of Science, University “Roma Tre”, Rome, Italy
| | - Floriana Cappiello
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giordano Rampioni
- Department of Science, University “Roma Tre”, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Livia Leoni
- Department of Science, University “Roma Tre”, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructure and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Duilio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructure and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Mangoni
- Laboratory Affiliated to Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Rathore D, Marino MJ, Nita-Lazar A. Omics and systems view of innate immune pathways. Proteomics 2023; 23:e2200407. [PMID: 37269203 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202200407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Multiomics approaches to studying systems biology are very powerful techniques that can elucidate changes in the genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels within a cell type in response to an infection. These approaches are valuable for understanding the mechanisms behind disease pathogenesis and how the immune system responds to being challenged. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance and utility of these tools have become evident in garnering a better understanding of the systems biology within the innate and adaptive immune response and for developing treatments and preventative measures for new and emerging pathogens that pose a threat to human health. In this review, we focus on state-of-the-art omics technologies within the scope of innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepali Rathore
- Functional Cellular Networks Section, Laboratory of Immune Systems Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew J Marino
- Functional Cellular Networks Section, Laboratory of Immune Systems Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Aleksandra Nita-Lazar
- Functional Cellular Networks Section, Laboratory of Immune Systems Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Di Somma A, Cané C, Moretta A, Illiano A, Pinto G, Cavasso D, Amoresano A, Paduano L, Duilio A. The antimicrobial peptide Magainin-2 interacts with BamA impairing folding of E. coli membrane proteins. Front Chem 2022; 10:1013788. [PMID: 36324521 PMCID: PMC9620421 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1013788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a unique and diverse group of molecules endowed with a broad spectrum of antibiotics properties that are being considered as new alternative therapeutic agents. Most of these peptides are membrane-active molecules, killing bacteria by membrane disruption. However, recently an increasing number of AMPs was shown to enter bacterial cells and target intracellular processes fundamental for bacterial life. In this paper we investigated the mechanism of action of Maganin-2 (Mag-2), a well-known antimicrobial peptide isolated from the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis, by functional proteomic approaches. Several proteins belonging to E. coli macromolecular membrane complexes were identified as Mag-2 putative interactors. Among these, we focused our attention on BamA a membrane protein belonging to the BAM complex responsible for the folding and insertion of nascent β-barrel Outer Membrane Proteins (OMPs) in the outer membrane. In silico predictions by molecular modelling, in vitro fluorescence binding and Light Scattering experiments carried out using a recombinant form of BamA confirmed the formation of a stable Mag-2/BamA complex and indicated a high affinity of the peptide for BamA. Functional implications of this interactions were investigated by two alternative and complementary approaches. The amount of outer membrane proteins OmpA and OmpF produced in E. coli following Mag-2 incubation were evaluated by both western blot analysis and quantitative tandem mass spectrometry in Multiple Reaction Monitoring scan mode. In both experiments a gradual decrease in outer membrane proteins production with time was observed as a consequence of Mag-2 treatment. These results suggested BamA as a possible good target for the rational design of new antibiotics since this protein is responsible for a crucial biological event of bacterial life and is absent in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Di Somma
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Carolina Cané
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Moretta
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Unité Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle, CNRS UMR5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Anna Illiano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriella Pinto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Cavasso
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Amoresano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Paduano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Duilio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
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Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron rough-type lipopolysaccharide: The chemical structure and the immunological activity. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 297:120040. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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